The present invention relates to a system for saving water, and more particularly to such systems that reuse household gray water, such as from washing machines and the like.
Systems for saving gray water are known. One type of system, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,197,597 to Toms and 4,162,218 to McCormick, collects gray water from kitchen and bathroom sinks, tubs and showers, and clothes and dishwashers in a holding tank through a filter and gray water drain line that is separate from an existing sewer system. The gray water is then pumped from the holding tank for noncritical water use devices, such as toilet tanks, for reuse and subsequent discarding to the sewer system.
Another such system, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,543,294 to Boester, includes receptacles and filters buried in the ground into which gray water from kitchen and bathroom sinks, tubs and showers, and clothes and dishwashers is aerated and pumped out of the receptacle for use with toilet bowls and subsequently disposed to a disposal field.
A number of disadvantages are associated with these water saving systems of the prior art, including one or more of the following:
1. They are expensive to install in that existing plumbing must be altered; PA0 2. The are excessively complicated in that fresh water must be introduced when the gray water is exhausted; PA0 3. The gray water is not fully utilized in that the water is drained out to the sewer when the holding tank overflows; PA0 4. They produce foul household odors unless the water is deodorized.
Thus there is a need for an apparatus for reusing household gray water that does not require alteration of existing plumbing, that makes full use of the collected gray water, that does not produce foul odors, and is not harmed by the presence of large quantities of lint in the water.